Press Releases

Avon Hello Green Tomorrow Fundraising Tops $2 Million in 2012; Program Total Reaches $5.5 million since 2010

Funds Awarded to The Nature Conservancy and World Wildlife Fund to Help End Deforestation in Brazil and Indonesia

Apr 18, 2013

NEW YORK, Apr. 18 /CSRwire/ - Avon Products, Inc. [NYSE: AVP] has announced that the Avon Hello Green Tomorrow project, a global fundraising and mobilization program, has topped $5.5 million since its 2010 launch, including $2 million raised in 2012 alone. Avon has contributed the funds to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to tackle deforestation in Brazil and Indonesia, which are recognized as two of the most critical “hot spots” for deforestation worldwide.

Hello Green Tomorrow raises funds through the sale of special products in more than 50 countries by Avon Sales Representatives and online on Avon eCommerce sites, creating a virtual “green army” engaged in helping end deforestation. Avon contributes all proceeds to help restore the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, in partnership with TNC, and the tropical forests of Indonesia, with WWF. These forests are among the most threatened in the world, and are important for mitigating climate change, supporting biodiversity and providing for the health and economic well-being of millions of people.

Craig Kirkpatrick, WWF US Managing Director for Borneo-Sumatra, explains, “The forests of Indonesia are fast disappearing, leaving communities without a source of income and iconic species, such as orangutans and tigers, without a home. With generous support from Avon, WWF is working to restore these forests. With local communities we are replanting trees across the Indonesian archipelago to create corridors of habitat for endangered species, protect water supplies for villages, and support livelihoods that are tied to forests.”

WWF’s forest rehabilitation program is a comprehensive five-year strategy focused on community-based planting and monitoring and maintenance of seedlings to ensure survival. According to WWF, Avon’s commitment to this program is not only helping to restore degraded areas within Indonesia, but also helping to provide local communities with jobs, which drives success of forest rehabilitation. From 2012 to 2018, WWF will support the planting, maintaining and monitoring of 148,200 trees (370.5 ha) of degraded forests in five priority locations across Indonesia, which are estimated to absorb 6,224,400 kg (6,224.4 tons) of CO21 over the next ten years.

Joe Keenan, Vice President and Managing Director of Latin America for TNC, notes that "the funds raised through Avon's Hello Green Tomorrow initiative have not only made it possible to restore over 3 million trees in Brazil's Atlantic Forest, it has enabled the creation of new jobs for local communities and provided data that enables us to make better decisions about forest restoration techniques. We are thrilled with the success of the program and look forward to continuing this important collaboration."

As Keenan explains, by helping restore one of the world’s most endangered and bio-diverse rainforests – the Atlantic Forest – Avon is making a positive impact in Brazil, as well as on a global scale. Funding from Hello Green Tomorrow has enabled TNC and its partners to plant and protect more than 2.5 million trees in three key locations in Brazil: the State of Espirito Santo State, Anhembi and Porto Feliz municipalities in the State of Sao Paulo. On a broader scale, restoration of the Atlantic Forest directly impacts water source quality for 60 percent of Brazil’s residents, including people in major metropolitan areas. Beyond Brazil, the Atlantic Forest helps play a crucial role in regulating climate around the world.

Avon has a unique capacity to engage and mobilize people, as it has done for the issues of breast cancer and domestic violence, as well as to help end deforestation.

Tod Arbogast, Avon Vice President, Sustainability & Corporate Responsibility, said, "Avon is committed to doing our part to help end deforestation. Forests serve as the lungs of the entire earth and they provide critical ecosystem support. The scope and reach of Avon’s worldwide network, coupled with the expertise of WWF and TNC, allow Avon Hello Green Tomorrow to be a powerful force in helping end deforestation."

1 Assuming over 10 years each tree absorbs an average of 42 kg of CO2.

Avon Products, Inc.

Avon, the company for women, is a leading global beauty company, with nearly $11 billion in annual revenue. As one of the world's largest direct sellers, Avon is sold through more than 6 million active independent Avon Sales Representatives. Avon products are available in over 100 countries, and the product line includes color cosmetics, skincare, fragrance, fashion and home products, featuring such well-recognized brand names as Avon Color, ANEW, Skin-So-Soft, Advance Techniques, and mark. Learn more about Avon and its products at www.avoncompany.com.

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) was founded in 1951 and is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The organization is headquartered in the US and works in more than 30 countries. The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 119 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of rivers worldwide, and they operate over 100 marine conservation projects globally. Visit www.nature.org to learn more.

World Wildlife Fund

WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working in 100 countries for the past 50 years. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.